Shadow of Infinity
by Wolf-Walrus
Summary: Sometimes it's hard to find your place in a shrinking world... I give credit where it's due, so thanks to my four best pals ever! Cheesedude, The robot, Piledrivingacougar and Cukeman. All characterslocations are copyright of their respective companies.
1. Prologue

"_As I write these words, chaos has overruled order; despair has crushed hope; and even with our power, we cannot defeat it. I pray that we will survive to hail the hero who will prevent our extinction._

_Prophecy."_

This was what flickered on a screen.

The hallways of the massive ship were completely silent as it cruised through space. A figure hunched over the computer. He had received this message three days ago, and his ship's HyperDrive had malfunctioned. He feared that he would already be too late. His piercing grey eyes stared past the monitor and into the foreboding blackness of space.

_Don't blame yourself for what happened fifteen years ago._

His mind raced.

_Maybe one person can make a difference. _

_Defiance does not make you weak._


	2. I

Chapter 2

Hal buried his face in his pillow. He was sprawled over his bed. His mouth tasted of puke.

That, and really cheap beer.

His eyes sprung open. The early sunlight fell across his back and warmed him from head to toe. He smiled. The bird lifted his surfboard from its resting place against his bedroom wall. 

The soft sand crunched between his talons as he ran down to the beach at Cape Claw. Hal was normally the only one down here at this time.

And the waves could get pretty big.

His board cut through the spray with ease. Hal loved doing this. Every morning he came down to this beach to practise. He wasn't that bad, considering he hadn't had lessons. His feathers got soaked and glistened in the early morning light.

Hal had never thought of himself as anything special. Other people sometimes did. His mother was a hawk, and his father was an albatross. He was moderately tall, white feathers and red wings.

Actually, only one of his wings was red. The other one was almost completely black. It was charred because he had twenty feet of chain welded onto it. Nobody knew how it happened, but then, not many wanted to. He had got used to it. It was quite useful sometimes. It had a spearhead on it, so Hal could use it as a grappling hook. The only problems were that it sometimes itched and he couldn't go out in public without receiving strange looks from people who didn't know him.

The sun rose higher, staining the sea yellow-gold. This was Hal's cue to get going. He rode one final wave back to the beach where he lay on his back in the sand to dry off.

"Hal!"

He looked up. Running across the pure white sand towards him, was another hawk.

"Hey Lorna," Hal replied. "What are you doing down here?"

"Ethan told me I could find you here."

Hal chuckled. "Well, I told _him_ not to tell anyone."

"Not even me?" she asked, sounding slightly offended.

"I know what you're like. I'm just worried that you'll tell my dad."

"I won't tell a soul. Promise."

"Okay then," He smiled "Well... I've got to be going. My band has to play twice today, and Ethan hates it when I'm late for rehearsal."

Lorna shrugged. "You know all of the songs off by heart, and it's not as if your bass needs tuning again."

"Fair enough. But I'm not late yet, and if I'm lucky I can fit in a couple of beers before."

Lorna scowled at him "Two at the most. You don't want to end up like your dad, do you?"

"Fine."

Hal wrapped his chain around his surfboard and lifted it onto his shoulder. With his good hand, he took Lorna's, and they began the walk back to his house.


	3. II

Chapter 3

"What's happening every-peoples?" Hal succeeded in making several people jump as he entered the bar.

"You're late." A dark-furred alsatian called, jumping down from the stage where he, and two other people were tuning their instruments.

"Chill Ethan. My bass is tuned, my head is clear. All I need is the playlist."

Ethan growled. "You can get seriously annoying. If you have nothing else to do, then go and fit the pyrotechnics and lighting."

"You like explosions, don't you?"

Ethan nodded. "Get the timing right, and they add to the emphasis of the song. Get the timing wrong and you're screwed. You freak out everyone, and they don't stay to listen to an explanation." He laughed. "It's a good thing we've got you, Hal."

"I can't do it right now. I need some coffee."

Ethan rolled his eyes.

Hal's dad was still drunk from the night before. No-one could deny it, he had a problem. He was sprawled over the counter with several empty bottles around him.

"Coffee with whipped cream please." Hal said to the bartender. He got free drinks, because his band brought in more customers. Lorna pulled up a seat next to him.

"Ethan's mad at you."

Hal licked some cream off his top lip. "Do you think I don't know that?" He shrugged "I probably deserve it. It won't take that long to fit the lights, but I might as well get it over with." He swallowed the contents of his cup in one gulp, with Lorna looking on in amazement.

"Wasn't that hot?"

He chuckled. "Extremely."

That night, the bar was crowded, the lights were down and the "Indigo-go's" were on stage. The drum roll started. Ethan sung the first note. Hal struck a chord. The keyboard played. The crowd was cheering. And the explosives went off.

Early.

Panic erupted in the bar. People screamed. The sprinklers went off.

"Hal! What the heck went wrong?!" Ethan yelled over the top of the commotion.

"I don't know! I tested it several times. It worked fine!"

"Well hurry up and turn these sprinklers off! I'm getting soaked!"

Hal frowned. But he wasn't one to question Ethan. Especially since Ethan could rip someone's head off if he wanted to.

The bar was almost flooded by the end of it. And, apart from the bartender, Hal's dad and the Indigo-go's, it was empty. Hal wiped the water off his chain. If it rusted, it would be painful. A tortoise came up to him.

"You messed up, Hal. Big time."

"It wasn't my fault. Daryl, do you really think that I would just forget how to plant explosives?"

"I think I speak for all of us when I say that we don't need you any more."

"I second that." Ethan glared at him. "We'll do better without you."

"You can't have a band with just a lead guitar, vocalist, keyboardist and drummer." A meerkat said, hopping down from the stage, where she was busy drying off all the instruments.

"It's been done before." Ethan snarled.

"Emma has a point, Ethan. We need a bass player. Maybe we could just get a new stage manager?"

"Shut up, Daryl. This was your idea in the first place."

"Hal writes most of your music." Lorna said, defensively. "Who are you going to get new songs from if you don't have him."

"It's okay, Lorna. I can see I'm not wanted." He slung his bass over his shoulder and made for the door.

"Chicken." Shouted Ethan.

"Don't say that." Called the Barkeep "It's insulting to both of us."

Hal was about to leave, when total rage overcame him. He spun around and threw out his chain. It embedded itself in Ethan's shoulder. He cried out in pain.

Hal yanked it back, and Ethan flew forward. Into a wall. His nose started bleeding. Hal pulled the spearhead out of his shoulder, creating a deep gash.

It was dark outside. The moon didn't shine. No stars were out. Hal's head hurt. He needed to go somewhere.


	4. III

Chapter 4

It was quiet in the hospital. Sarah found it unnerving. Just the faint beeps of heart monitors and her own breathing. It smelt of paint and medicine. Something to be expected in a hospital, but she still felt it... out of place.

A phone rang. Sarah knew she shouldn't answer it. It wasn't her job. But the silence was driving her insane. She needed to talk to someone. Besides, the secretary was on his tea break. Who would pick it up if she didn't?

Sarah hated being indecisive. She checked her clipboard. No patients needed a check-up any time soon. She had time. Reaching out a trembling hand, she grasped the cool, hard metal of the phone receiver. A satisfying click.

"Hello?"

Silence. Absolute silence. Had she taken too long to get to the phone? No. Something else was happening here.

And a scream. It hadn't come from the other end of the line. It had come from Sarah's throat. She dropped the receiver and fell to the floor. Clasping her head. A flash of revelation. She staggered to her feet and leant against the desk.

"Are you all right?" A quite concerned looking sun bear was standing behind her.

"I'm fine, Maria. But tell Dr. Fraiser that I'm going to leave early."

"Why?"

"Does it matter?" She snapped, suddenly feeling angry.

"Sorry. But Sarah, I worry about you."

"It's okay. I just need some sleep."

Sarah was getting dizzy. She hung up her coat and made her way into the car park. A small, blue convertible was waiting for her. She opened the doors and lent back into the smooth, cool leather. She inserted her key and turned it.

The engine completely backfired. It started billowing smoke. It started flaming.

She panicked. She fumbled with the doors. They stuck.

And then...

An explosion. Sarah blacked out...


	5. IV

The rain spattered on the rooftop of the Krazoa Temple. Sauria's single moon cast dazzling reflections over every drop and over the small puddles that were forming. Hal looked up. He could see the rain through the glass dome above him. He sighed and looked back to the Krazoa head that marked the entrance to a shrine. He produced a small lighter from a pocket and lit a pair of candles. He closed his eyes and knelt on one knee with his head bowed.

"JAP JFAHAKJ. IDAK0. LUCEH. SEMFUJJAED. MU0 A IJO 0EIH NAJTEM UJ M0 END.

A EVVOH M0 MADT KE 0EI, WHOUK JFAHAKJ. WIATO MO UJ A VADT M0 FCUSO.

Umod."

He dipped his fingers into a small bowl of water and made the sacred mark on his chest. Hal's rage was irrepressible. Ethan was a jerk, but Hal felt terrible. Ethan was one of his oldest friends. He felt as though he had betrayed him. He was confused. _What has happened? _He thought,picking himself up and pocketing the lighter. He lent against a wall and sighed again.

Lorna knew that something was wrong. She saw it in Hal's eyes. Normally, he wouldn't have gotten so worked up about this sort of thing. It was as if he wasn't himself any more. She followed him, staying out of sight. Eventually, they stopped on the roof of the Krazoa Temple. The several tall pillars made perfect hiding places. Hal stooped. He was praying. Lorna knew that he did this often. It helped him relax. But this time was different. His prayer was different.

And someone else was here.

Standing in the doorway, shadowed against the recently started lightning, was someone. Lorna kept out of sight. That someone didn't look familiar, and they didn't look friendly either. They had several followers. Hunched over, they scurried along behind. All of their eyes blazed crimson. Even in the light, their figures were shadows.

"Perfect." The tall one hissed. Her figure became clear. A large reptile. Lorna couldn't see clearly. She and all her followers were clad in black chainmail with several plates of ornate armour over the top. They were engraved with spidery symbols and looked as though some pieces had been charred.

"What do you want?" asked Hal, still on the floor.

"You..." He tried to stand. The reptile raised her hand. An eerie power radiated from her fingertips. It lifted Hal off his feet and flung him against a wall. She made several small motions with her hand, and his chain unwound and tied him to a pair of pillars.

"You don't scare me." said Hal, trying to convince himself.

"I don't intend to." She walked towards him slowly, one of her claws outstretched. "I intend to corrupt you." She touched his chest, and a small patch of his shirt burnt away. She brought her claw up to his collarbone and made two incisions in the shape of a cross. She smiled as he writhed in pain.

"What are you doing?" Hal cried. She didn't answer. The feathers fell away from the area around the cut.

Lorna was close to tears. She couldn't believe what this total stranger was doing.

But then, the armour at one of the reptile's shoulders gathered into several droplets which slithered down her arm and along her extended claw into the cut. Hal cried out.

The armour-drops stained the flesh around the cut black. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he passed out, falling to the floor with a thump.

"Bring him." She said to her followers, assuming her shadowy form again.

Lorna gasped. _Too loud_. She thought as the reptile turned her head to Lorna's hiding place. She took a few steps towards the pillar.

Suddenly, Lorna felt strong hands grab her from behind.

"Don't make a sound." He whispered in her ear. He looked around the side, when one of the reptile's followers - who was carrying Hal's lifeless body on his shoulders – shouted: "Bissu!"

She spun round and stared at him. "Do you sense that?"

She looked as if she was sniffing the air. "We'd better get out of here."

He nodded. "Agreed,"

And they disappeared into the night, taking Hal with them.


	6. V

Sarah lay in bed. Then again, there was little else she could do. She was almost completely paralysed. She opened her eyes. The strong, white glare of the hospital ward met her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy, but she could make out the shape of Dr Fraiser standing over her.

"What happened?" She croaked. Her throat was hoarse and dry.

"I was hoping you could tell me. We were getting worried about you. You didn't show any signs of breathing or a pulse for the last three hours."

"Three hours?"

"Yes. You've been unconscious for a very long time. It was lucky that Maria got to you quickly."

"Is anything broken?"

"I don't think so. There's a very slight fracture in your skull, but that seems to be about it." She looked down at her clipboard. "Maria tells me that your car exploded. If that's the case, then you're lucky to be alive."She sat down. "Do you know how it could have happened?"

Sarah shook her head. "Cars don't just explode like that. Even cheap convertibles. My guess was sabotage." She closed her eyes. "Someone wants me dead..."

"Well, you'll need a couple of days of rest. Don't do anything too strenuous." And with that, Dr Fraiser got up and left.

Nothing had been damaged. Even Sarah's clothes were still intact. Maybe the phone call and explosion weren't meant for her.

When she woke, she was met with a familiar face. Her brother, Nick, was leant against the wall.

"Hey," Sarah said weakly.

"It's good to see you." He grinned. "Still not a qualified doctor yet?"

"Not yet." She smiled as well. "What about you? Was it just a joke, or did mum really rent out my room again?"

"I haven't seen her for a while either, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's rented out both our rooms." He started to laugh softly. "She needs the money, doesn't she?"

"I suppose." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I hope dad comes back soon."

"So do I." There was a long silence in the ward.

"You know about explosives don't you?" Sarah said abruptly.

"Of course. In fact, I've been working on a massive project involving rocket launchers for the past few months." He stared at her. "You want to know if it was accidental or not."

She nodded.

"Well, from what I've seen, it's more likely than not that someone tampered with the engine. But I've had a look at the security videos, and nothing suspicious was picked up. And the way that it exploded, it's almost as if it had a mind of its own."

She shrugged. "Maybe. But the weird thing is, that nothing except the car was damaged. I don't have anything to show for being in an accident."

"I should probably get going. The doctor says that you need your rest." He picked up his bike helmet and made for the door.


	7. VI

The stranger waited a few moments, being sure that the Temple was clear, before releasing Lorna from his grasp. He drew himself up to full height.

And he was quite tall. His form was also shadowy, but it was different. Lorna knew that he was a friend.

"They were scared of you. You could have stopped them."

"If I had, they would have certainly killed your friend." His voice was stern and harsh, but at the same time, Lorna knew that he spoke the truth. "Besides, if I had intervened, hey would know where you were hiding and killed you as well."

"But who were they?" She asked, sounding ever-so-slightly distressed. He stooped and ran his fingers over the floor where some of the dark liquid-armour had formed a small pool.

"Space pirates. I've been tracking them for days. They're under a new leader. Ridley got kicked out and a new guy came along." He held up his hand, where the armour had formed a glove over his hand. "With this."

"And who are you?"

He looked at her. "It's probably better that you didn't know that."

"And why are you following them?"

"You just don't stop asking questions do you?" He sounded exasperated. "Well... Let's just say "Personal reasons". To be precise, they nicked my ship."

"And you're out to get the entire army just for that?"

"No. They're trying to conquer the universe. But I want my ship back anyway."

"Oh." She sat down on the floor, trying to take in all this new information.

"They managed to give away enough information for me to know where they're going. I have to leave now before I lose their trail." He made for the door.

"Can I come with you?" Lorna blurted out.

He stared at her in astonishment. "Why?"

"Because Hal is my friend. I won't just sit here and know that the Space pirates are doing terrible things to him."

"I like your attitude. What's your name, kid?"

"You won't tell me yours, so why should I tell you mine?"

He laughed. "Fair enough."

He walked out of the arched doorway and the moonlight hit him. He was no longer wrapped in shadows. His true form was revealed. A wolf. He had blueish grey fur, but had a white mane. Lorna could assume that he came from the south of Fichina. His eyes were piercing and grey. He wore a black stealth-suit with a pair of swords strapped to his back, and a pair of pistols in holsters on his legs. He just stood there. Staring at the moon for some time.

But then, he threw back his head and howled. It was a long, piercing howl that rung in her ears for a few minutes afterwards.

"I bet you didn't expect that."

Lorna shook her head. "I would never expect that." And she started laughing.

It was nearing sunrise, and Lorna was exhausted. The stranger cut through the dense jungle around the Saurian equator. Eventually, they stopped beneath a huge shadow. She gazed up in awe. It was a frigate. It gleamed in the early light, there were about thirty cannon turrets on either side. The bow was covered in what looked like a helmet. There were four wings. But they weren't like the wings of a normal craft; they looked bat-like, almost organic. It was almost completely black, but there was red writing in a language that Lorna couldn't read running down the side.

"Are you coming or not?" Called the wolf, who was standing in a gaping doorway in the front of this monster of a ship.

She nodded, and ran to the ramp leading up to the frigate. "I thought you said that the Space pirates nicked your ship."

"I said _a _Space pirate nicked my ship. And yes, but I... acquired this one from someone."

They didn't speak for a while as the acoustics in the hallways were terrible. Their boots clattered on the metal floor. It took them almost as long to get to the bridge as it did to find the ship in the dense jungle. It looked as though this one was meant for an army.

_How do you steal something this big without its former possessor noticing? _Thought Lorna.

The wolf flicked a few switches on the control panel as she slumped in a chair. There was a slight judder as the ship lifted off.

"Thank you." Lorna breathed.

"For what?" He was studying a map of the galaxy.

"Bringing me along. I'll probably be nothing but a hindrance, but I want to help."

"I need all the help I can get." He laughed. "You're probably tired. Come on. I've got a few bedrooms ready. Just in case I have visitors." He helped her up from her chair.


	8. VII

When Hal awoke, he didn't know where he was. In fact, he barely knew who he was. All he knew was that he had a terrible itch in his chest. It was dark, and he was cold. Disorientation is not a nice feeling. Judging by the echoes, he would say that he was in a large, metal room with many other people. He could sense a faint glow from the stars. It was now only semi-darkness, and his eyes swiftly became accustomed to it. Hal realised that it was a barracks. All of the others were clad in uniform, with similar symbols etched onto the shoulders.

_What do they want with me?_

He lay on his back. Trying to remember...

_He was finishing his prayer... Then a stranger came along. With a mysterious power..._

He touched his chest. It felt rough, metallic even. There were no feathers on it at all. He glanced downwards. Even in the half-light, he could make out the shape of a cross. His chain felt heavy. He needed some rest.

Morning came. The building buzzed with energy. All of the soldiers woke and began stretching. The floor was lined with sleeping bags. The room filled with chatter. Although these looked like highly disciplined soldiers, they seemed to be in no rush. A particular conversation caught Hal's ear. A group of war-hardened pumas kept giving him suspicious looks. They made him uneasy. One of them started whispering something to the others, who grinned and nodded. They straightened up and walked over to where Hal was sitting.

"You're new here, right?" Said one of them.

"Maybe..."

"You can't hide it from us. And let me tell you something, kid. If you're new, and as weak as you are, there are going to be people out to get you."

"I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself." Hal sounded patronising.

"Impudent whelp!" And Hal was lifted off his feet. He found himself staring into the eyes of a cold, harsh, brutal marauder. "You have to know things to survive around here, and one of those things is that you should never insult one of the elites!"

"I don't care." Hal's voice was stifled, because he was being grasped by the face.

He dropped his chain to the ground and wove it between the puma's legs. He yanked hard, and the large cat fell onto his back. Hal landed on his feet. He shot out another blow, this time around the neck. He pushed the puma against a wall and squeezed his throat hard.

"I want answers." He held the spearhead to the cat's neck, but before the answers were received, he felt the other two grab his arms and restrain him.

"You're going to wish you never did that." The first puma raised his fist.

"Dazam!" Barked a voice from across the room. Every head turned to see who dared challenge this murderous assailant. "Lay off the kid." It was an ocelot. He was, unlike the rest of the soldiers, wearing full armour. He strode towards Dazam. The other two let Hal fall to the floor.

"Why do you intervene, Cole? It is not your place to challenge an elite. And nor is it his."

"I intervene. That's all that matters." Quicker than lightning, he pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Dazam's eye. "My squad accepts full responsibility for him. If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with the boss."

The elite growled, but slowly backed away. Cole offered Hal a hand, and pulled him up off the floor.

"Why did you help me?" The bird glared at him.

"Because I know how it feels." Cole brushed back his hair, revealing a massive scar across his eye.

"Well, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, so... thanks."

"Don't mention it. Like I said, if you do anything stupid again, I'll take the hit for you." He smiled.

"Thanks... I'm Hal by the way. Hal Ross."

"Ross... Ross...? Why does that name sound so familiar?" He shrugged. "Probably just a coincidence. I'm Cole."

"Cole? Cole... what?"

"No last name, no middle name. Just Cole."

"Sure." Hal was slightly confused.

Cole took Hal around the complex. It was enormous. Hal wondered what they did there. There seemed to be nothing to suggest they did anything but sustain the soldiers. At length, they arrived at a smaller building, somewhat secluded from the rest of the facility. Cole explained that these were his quarters.

"How come you don't stay with the rest of them?"

"I don't feel like it. Basically, I'm one of the best agents these guys have, and I get a lot of privileges that the others don't. Apart from having to share my place with three other commandos, it's almost complete privacy."

He pushed open the door and went in. It was spacious. There was a small kitchen, a large living room and several bedrooms. The other three all looked terribly bored. They were all lying on the couches, just staring at the ceiling.

"Having _fun, _are we?"

"Cole, we haven't had a mission for weeks. It's not much fun with nothing to do." A tall reptile retaliated.

"I know." Cole frowned. "That was sarcasm."

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" called an owl from the corner.

"I was getting to that." Cole and Hal went in and joined the others in their unstructured-doing-nothing. "Bissu, Umbra, Coo, this is Hal." He gestured to the reptile, a bat and the owl in turn.

"Hey," Came murmurs of approval from the perfectly still warriors.

"Hal, this is Bissu Komodo, Umbra McKnight and Coo."

"Another one with no surname?" Hal joked.

"Coo comes from a planet far outside the Galactic Federation. His customs and culture are different from ours. Don't make fun."

"And what about you? Why do you have no surname?" Hal raised an eyebrow.

"I'd prefer not to discuss it."

"Cole doesn't like to talk much about his past." Bissu raised from her seat on the couch.

"Why do you have a chain welded onto your arm?" Umbra asked suddenly.

"What? Oh.. Umm... Experimental curiosity?"

"You mean you were drunk?"

Hal stayed silent for a long while. "Yes..."


	9. VIII

"Miss Caluroso?"

"Please don't call me that. What is it?" She was running her fingers along the edge of a ring. She slipped it over her finger and watched as it caught the light.

"There's someone here that wants to see you."

"Do they have an appointment?"

"He says he's an "Old friend"."

"Send him through then." She was starting to get frustrated.

Through the large double doors of her office came a familiar face. She knew it was him. Even after fifteen years, she still recognised his face.

"Miss Caluroso, eh?" He grinned.

"Is that really you?" She sounded as if she was about to cry.

"Who else would I be?" He took large steps towards her desk and pulled up a chair.

"But you're dead..."

"Yes. Yes I am, which is why you can see me right here, right now, in your office." He looked around "And it is a very nice office."

"What are you doing here?"

"I need your help." He started drumming his knuckles on the desk. "A new threat arises. Something unlike anything we've seen before."

"It's good to see you."

"I know. Did you give me a proper funeral?"

She shook her head. "No. Nobody cared."

"That's kind of annoying. Anyway. "Sakura Caluroso". It has quite a nice ring to it. So you got back with Panther then?"

"He only proposed this morning."

"And you said yes."

"Yes..." Said Sakura, slightly ashamed.

"So. What do you know about the aparoids?"

"What, you mean they're back?"

"No, but something not dissimilar." He took the glove off his other hand, revealing a metallic armour. Sakura looked shocked. She stood up abruptly and backed away towards the window.

"I've seen that before. Do you remember fifteen years ago? Do you remember Cole?"

He put the glove back on. "Yes. He was the one that stole the Strike Wing. Anyway, the Space Pirates are using it. Under a new leader."

"Okay, I'm going to help you. I assume you need a ship?"

"Nope, I got one."

"You stole it? That's just sinking to their level, Blitz."

"You remember my name? Well that's good, because I forgot." Still grinning.

"Let's just go. Quickly."

"What about Sarah and Nick?"

She stared at him. "You know?"

"Of course. I know a great deal that you don't know I know."

"They've got to come with us."

"Fine by me." He shrugged, before standing up and walking to the door, his tail flicking from side to side.

The Cornerian skyline was shrouded in smog. Blitz found it hard to breathe. It took them quite a long time to reach the hospital.

"She'll be alright?"

"She's made a quick recovery. Although, I don't know how to get in touch with Nick."

"He visits every so often. If we're lucky, they'll both be here."

"And if we're not?"

Blitz grinned "I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"Stay outside."

"Why?"

"Well, for one thing, you're dead. Enough to give one of the older patients a heart attack. And also, your swords could interfere with the equipment."

"Fine, I'll go back to the ship. Meet me there."

Sakura had already packed her bags, and loaded them onto the frigate. Blitz said that it could be a long time before she saw Corneria again. Lorna was waiting there for him.

"So, are they coming?"

"Sometime." He trudged into the ship and flopped on his bed. "The one thing I hate about space travel is having to adjust to the difference in time zones."

Lorna smirked "Jetlag?"

"That's one way of putting it."


	10. IX

Cole met Hal's eyes, never breaking contact. The scar through one eye almost made Hal look away, but he showed no signs of weakness.

"It's your turn." Cole said.

"I'm thinking." He glanced down at the playing board, where thousands of tiny holographic soldiers were idling. Hal touched several of them, and moved his finger across the board, the miniature warriors following. He had set up several snipers, grenadiers and anti-tank infantry. Cole looked worried. He had never lost a game of tactics. He wouldn't give up now. He would not lose. Not to a newbie. His eyes darted across the field, trying to find a way out of Hal's lethal gambit.

"Drop a train on 'em." he breathed. His tanks crawled across the battlefield, loosing a few rounds at the opponent's heavily armoured bunker. It crashed. The entire field went up in tiny, holographic flames.

"Napalm." Hal grinned. If birds can grin, of course.

"I hoped that it wouldn't come to that." He tapped the board, and all of the pixels faded and died. "Good game." He looked through to the next room. "Hey Bissu! We got a mission yet?"

"I think something's wrong. The boss started transmitting, but never finished. We should check it out."

Cole looked back to Hal. "You're in luck, kid. Most recruits have to wait until they reach our age to see the boss."

Umbra leapt from his seat "We're doing something!" He pulled out a pair of pistols and repeatedly fired them into the air, screaming "Woohoo!"

"Umbra's kind of trigger-happy. It's a good thing those aren't loaded." Cole said to Hal.

"I can see that."

The closer the squad got to the "Throne room", the darker it got. There were more sentries around. Umbra lead the way. His eyes were so sensitive that he could make out every different shade of grey imaginable in total darkness. Bissu followed him, her gattling gun cocked and ready. Then came Coo, a massive halberd hoisted over his shoulder. Cole and Hal were at the end. Cole had a row of serrated blades down each arm.

"If you work for these guys then why do you keep weapons inside?"

"To tell the truth, we're paranoid. Every single one of us."

"SHH!" Umbra had stopped. His hand was up, showing that he wanted the others to stop. His ears flicked around, listening. Suddenly, he melted into the shadows, becoming as dark as they were. Cole and Hal crept behind a pillar. What that pillar was doing there, none of them knew. Bissu and Coo copied. The other pillar was about two metres away. Bissu leant against it. She knew that her weapon was heavy. She started breathing heavily.

_What is she doing?! _Thought Cole _Why has her weapon not felt heavy before? She's going to get us into serious trouble._ A guard came round the corner, his face buried in a box of doughnuts.

"Whassat?" He snorted, looking towards the pillar after hearing Bissu's complaint. Hal acted fast. He threw out his chain, wrapping it around the guard's neck. Bringing it back with great force, the guard's doughnuts went flying and he face-planted. Cole grabbed him by the collar, bringing him up to meet his eyes, the blades sticking into the guard's throat.

He started laughing. "Those were my doughnuts. I love doughnuts. You guys are going to be in so much trouble when I tell the boss."

"But you're not going to." Hal said from behind. The pig-guard passed out. Cole dropped him, and he started bouncing away.

"Good call, kid." He grinned. "Bissu, I think it might be a better idea if you let Hal take that. You're not that accurate with it anyway."

The reptile smiled. "Thanks kid." And she pulled out a pair of sub-machine-guns. Coo dropped the massive weapon into Hal's open hands. Hal just hoped that he wouldn't get his chain caught in the belt. That would hurt.


	11. X

The vastness of space. The silence of it. The stillness...

Nick stared out of the window. The quiet buzz of the electric lighting and the slow hum of the ship's engine as they cruised through space were the only sounds. His eyes were transfixed on the thousands of unfamiliar constellations. The way they just drifted through this infinite void was almost hypnotic. He took a deep breath.

_I don't have time for this. _

He got up and slowly walked to the door. His fingers slid around the knob. He bit his lip.

To put it one way, this unnamed assaulter had kidnapped him, his sister and his mother, in the hope of chasing after a power that had eluded capture for years. On the other hand, he could be right. This lone wolf had shown Nick the armour. It was almost liquid in form. It melted at his command, and reformed. It was as if it was linked to his consciousness.

He had offered Nick a home, a family.

A reason for being...

He pushed these thoughts to the back of his head and concentrated on figuring out what happened to Sarah's car.

He walked out into the hallway and pulled the door shut behind him. The ship was massive. It would take hours just to walk from one end to the other. It took him even longer to find the rest of the group. They were in the circular living room, just off the command deck. The long, curved sofa was crowded. They were all watching the holo-transmitter intently.

All they saw was fuzz.

"What are we doing?" He asked, taking up a seat between Sarah and a stranger, whose blue feathers caught the light in a spectacular array of colours.

The lone wolf's voice snapped him back to reality.

"We got a distress signal from Aquas. The communication got all screwed up. It's now nothing but a bunch of scrambled code."

"And there's only one person we know who can translate it." Nick's mother continued.

The bird glared across at them. "I wish you two would stop doing that."

The wolf returned her glare "Complain while you can, we're going back to Sauria, and you're going to stay there."

"Why?"

She got no answer.

Sarah got up and left the room. Nick shortly followed.

"Is anything wrong?"

She sighed. "It's just the thought that..." She started to sob. Very gently, but still recognisable. "We may never see home again."

He put an arm round her and patted her on the back. "I thought of that too. But I know that we will. We'll help this maniac-"

"I resent that!" came a call from the room.

"We'll help this maniac get what he wants, and then we'll go back to Corneria. And Dad will be there, and..." He paused. "Screw this... I was never very good at giving advice, but I'll tell you one thing: It is _not _a good idea to gnaw your own arm off." He grinned.

Sarah started to laugh. "Thanks, Nick."

"Don't worry about it. You're my sister, I don't want anything to happen to you." He paused. "Which reminds me... I've been looking over and over the tapes of the explosion. To be fair, it's unlike anything I've ever seen. It wasn't an incendiary explosive, or a frag. It's as if something just... entered the engine and left a... residue."

"Do you think it has any relation to the maniac showing up."

He thought about that for a moment. "Probably. I don't believe in coincidence." Nick shrugged "Then again, I don't believe in destiny either."

"Just forget about it. You've got more important things to worry about." And she stepped back into the room.


	12. XI

The enormous weapon that Hal now carried felt cumbersome and unwieldy. He shouldn't even be using it. It was designed for left-handed people. He grumbled. _Bissu should've kept this thing. _He couldn't see a thing in the total darkness. But he could feel. He could feel faint pulses coming from Umbra. They bounced off the walls and everything. But Hal could understand them. He knew what they meant, which was weird, because he had never felt or heard anything like them in his life. Bissu edged forward, carefully, before disappearing round the corner. Hal followed. And, all of a sudden, he could see. There was a very faint light. He had to squint, but there was light. He stepped towards it and was blinded by its intensity. Hal almost dropped the gattling gun shielding his eyes from the blast.

Then it dimmed to a normal sort of ambience. He strode up a few steps to join the others.

"What was that?"

Cole didn't answer. His fists were clenched and his eyes narrow. He glared at a coyote sprinting towards them.

"Hey, Cole." He said quickly. "Hey Bissu, Umbra, Coo..." He stopped at Hal, who was looking him up and down. He wore lighter armour than Cole, but it was still enough to stop most attacks. On his forehead was a golden tattoo. It looked as if someone had carved through his flesh, and then poured molten metal into the wound. "Who's this? New kid?"

"Fenris... What are you doing here?"

Fenris smirked. "Didn't you get the message? I've been promoted."

"To... First Prime? That explains the tattoo." Bissu pointed her guns at his head.

"No-one sees the boss without the password. Do you know the password?"

"How about..." Coo looked thoughtful "Let me through and I won't slice your head off." He raised his halberd.

"You're persistent, aren't you." He chuckled. "Fine, I'll let you through this time. I've got important stuff to do." A slight breeze picked up, which was odd because they were inside. It looked as if Fenris just turned into a fog, and drifted away on the wind.

The throne room was very large. It was almost completely circular. At the far end, shadowed and seated, was the boss. The squad lined up and knelt.

"My lord, we have come before you to request..." Coo stopped. "What is it we want?" He whispered to Bissu.

"We received a transmission, but we did not receive all of it. What is your command?"

His armour clanked as he sat up to look at them. His eyes glowed. But instead of being red, these glowed black. It was as if all of the light was being sucked in by the very essence of evil.

"What is your command?" Bissu repeated.

He stared at them for a while. "..." His gaze drifted to the end of the line. Hal could feel the demonic eyes boring into him. Suddenly, he felt himself being lifted off his feet. The boss looked him up and down before dropping him again. "Puyo..."

Back at their quarters, the squad relaxed.

"Well, I thought that was a total bust..." Muttered Umbra.

"Are you sure?" Called Coo from a corner.

"Yeah, I'm sure. All I heard was "Puyo". I don't even know what the heck that means!"

"You need to open your mind. Not everything has a clear meaning."

Umbra rolled his eyes.


	13. XII

Lorna was bitter. She had been ever since the wolf had made up his mind. She didn't know why. She had done nothing wrong. The wolf had trusted her. What had made him change?

They still had a fair way to go before they reached Sauria. She had to persuade him.

Hal was her friend, and she was not going to let him down. She lay back on her soft mattress and tried to think.

"Are you hungry?"

Lorna looked up. Leaning on the wall was Nick, his deep blue eyes sparkling in the light.

"Are you hungry?" He repeated.

"No I'm not! Leave me alone." She snapped.

"Just asking." He raised his hands quite defensively. Then he started grinning as he heard her stomach growling.

"I... I just don't want to see that wolf until I've thought something through."

"It's okay, I'll bring you something." He left the room silently. Lorna lay back again and smiled.

She liked him. She didn't know what it was that she liked about him, but she knew she liked him. She thought. She finally came to the decision that she would just have to be stubborn. She did not like this plan, but it seemed like the only thing she could do.

As Nick walked through the deserted corridors towards the galley, he couldn't help feeling that he liked Lorna. He didn't know why, he just did. On the other hand, he hated this ship. It was too big for just five people. There were almost no lights on. It was lucky for him that his eyes were accustomed to total darkness. He needed it for his work. The other three were on the bridge, which was tucked in at the back of the ship so that it wouldn't be so vulnerable in an attack. They had already finished their meals and were working on something that Nick couldn't make out.

The galley had an enormous window that gave a perfect view out over the vast abyss of space. Nick spotted something outside. His stomach dropped.

He raced back to the bridge, often stumbling. By the time he got there, he was out of breath.

"Did you plan to enter an -" He panted, but was cut off by an impact that rocked the entire ship. All four of them fell to the floor. "Asteroid field."

All of a sudden, he felt his body becoming weightless.

"Damn!" Shouted the wolf "The artificial gravity generator's been hit."

"Man the cannons." Said Nick.

"Hey, who made you the captain?" The maniac snapped.

"He's right, though. If we take another hit like that, we won't be alive to finish this argument." Sarah's eyes bored into the wolf's.

"Let's go." He sighed.

It was a real struggle to move in the gravity-less environment. It felt like a combination of swimming and jumping. The ship had several hundred turrets. It was designed to blow away anything in its path. The turrets made short work of the larger rocks, but tiny pieces of debris bombarded them. Impending doom...


	14. XIII

Cole threw a handful of papers down on the table. Hal looked up.

"What's this?"

Cole grinned "Coo and Bissu finally managed to figure out what "Puyo" means."

"So... What?" Asked Umbra.

"So far, we've established that it means everything."

"I'm not following you." Said Hal. "Does it literally mean "Everything"? Or does it mean everything in the sense that-"

"It means everything in the sense that it's the only word in the Boss' language."

"So..." Umbra stared at the table. "We're not making that much progress, are we?"

"Apparently, this language is also determined by body position, and emphasis. Coo and Bissu are seeing what they can get out of Fenris."

"Fenris? Oh, he's the one with that weird," Hal waved his hand in the air, gesturing for something "Golden... tattoo... Thing." Was the best he could come up with.

"Yeah. That's the one."

"Cole doesn't like him much." Umbra said. "He really wanted to help Bissu and Coo torture him."

"It's not surprising. He bit my best friend's hand off."

"Tyr?" Hal said inquisitively.

"Yep... Hey, how did you know that?"

"It's happened before. I just thought that it was kind of a neat coincidence."

"Well, it looks as if they're taking their sweet time." Umbra sighed

"While we wait, why don't we do something?"

"Like what?"

Cole shrugged. "Hal, do you play video games?" he started grinning.

"Sometimes." Hal grinned as well. "For an elite commando squad, you guys are never really that serious."

"Life's too short to be serious." Cole said.

"Aw, c'mon Cole, best of twenty-five!?"

"Hey guys, what's happening?" Bissu asked, entering the room with dignified poise.

"Bissu? I thought you were helping Coo?"

"He has it under control. Mind if I join in?" She didn't wait for an answer, as she grabbed one of Cole's Nintendo Puu control pads.

"Man, this series never dies." Said Hal, picking up the case for "Super Smash Bros. We've-run-out-of-synonyms-for-"fight"-so-we're-going-to-go-back to-Brawl!"

It sported several logos in big, red lettering. He flipped it over, where he found such slogans as "Now with 257 playable characters!".

"It's a good thing they took out the Ice-Climbers, or I would never play this game." Said Umbra, who was leaning over the back of the sofa.

Cole and Hal teamed up against the other two. Even with them going easy on them, Umbra and Bissu never won a single game. By the end of it, Coo came back.

"So, what did you find?"

"I'll tell you in the evening. I'm going to bed."

"Good idea," Suggested Umbra "I might as well."

The other three stared at each other.

"Sometimes, I wish that either we were all nocturnal, or not." Cole chuckled.

"Fair point. It's kind of annoying sometimes." Replied Bissu.


	15. XIV

"We can't keep this up much longer, Blitz!" Shouted Sakura over the din of the asteroids.

"We can try!" He replied, and continued loading rounds into the massive bastions of cannons mounted on the side of his ship – harder than it looks in zero-gravity.

"She's right." Said Nick, level headed as ever. "We're getting pounded out here. And you're going to run out of rounds soon." He gestured to the quickly depleting stack of projectiles.

"Fine!" Blitz snapped. "We'll find the safest place to land and make some quick repairs. We need to get to Sauria soon..."

Eventually, they found a hollow in the side of a large asteroid, and started to fix what was broken. They didn't have much to do it with. It took quite a long time, but they managed to make enough repairs for the ship to be flyable.

The window in the front of the ship illuminated the galley as the Dinosaur Planet loomed into view.

"You're going back then?" Asked Nick, handing Lorna a cup of coffee.

"I won't." She said defiantly. "Hal's my friend, and I won't let him down."

"So..." He swirled the liquid remaining in his own mug round in small circles. "What's your plan?"

Right then, Blitz walked in.

"You'll see." She whispered.

The tall wolf grumbled as he flopped into a chair. "I hope Ross can fix this thing..."

Suddenly, the lights flickered, and went out. The engine sounds slowed, and ceased altogether.

"Ugh!" He cried. "That bloody generator!"

The planet crawled closer. There was a jerk as the ship was pulled into its gravitational field. The ground rushed towards them, the whole ship heating up. The three of them were thrown against a wall.

The massive ship ploughed through the undergrowth, and started to slow. The hatch popped open. Blitz jumped out to inspect the damage. One of the wings had been completely demolished. Several cannons had been smashed. He let out an exasperated sigh. He clambered back into the ship and called to the others that it was safe to come out.

"Do you have ANY idea where we are, Lorna?"

"Be patient, Nick. I need time." She turned around, examining their surroundings. The ship had created a large clearing in the canopy, through which the stars were visible. "That way." She said, at length. "ThornTail Hollow's that way."

"ThornTail Hollow... You think we could find Ross there?" Asked Blitz.

"Hal's Dad?" She replied, "No, he's at Cape Claw... But that's only a bit of a walk from ThornTail Hollow."

"Should we stop to make camp?" Nick said, kicking at a fallen branch.

Lorna shook her head. "Not here, there are RedEyes and SharpClaws everywhere in these woods, and there's virtually nothing to eat."

"And we have no time." Blitz called from ahead of them. He had already set off in the direction that Lorna had indicated.

"I didn't even know Ross had a son." Sakura told Blitz after catching up with him.

"Me neither," He replied, "He didn't tell me much."

Sakura started to laugh, "He thought you were dead."

He shot her a 'you-think-you-know-but-you-don't' sort of look, "No, he didn't."

Her laughter turned to fury "You mean he knew, but I didn't?"

"I didn't have time to tell you. I didn't even have time to tell myself."

She looked bemused "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you later." He grinned.


	16. XV

Evening came. Coo and Umbra got up. The others were talking. Telling stories in the half-light of the sunset that streamed in through the large windows.

"So..?" Bissu asked when she saw Coo.

"So what?"

"What does "Puyo" mean?" Cole inquired, getting annoyed.

"Oh... right..." He scratched his head, "Fenris wasn't very helpful, but I think that this Puyo means "Intercept" or "Seek and destroy". I can't figure it out."

"My dad's a linguist." Hal commented, "And I learned something from him."

"Then please, share it with us, Hal." Umbra said patronisingly. When everyone glared at him, he added: "Sorry, I got up on the wrong side of bed this evening,"

Hal continued, "So, I've been mulling it over, and I figure that he wants us to go to Katina and find something. And, yes, it does also mean both of the things that Coo mentioned."

"How'd you figure that?"

"The emphasis was on the first syllable. There are several other one-word languages I know of, so..."

Everyone looked puzzled.

"Okay, the Boss knows that someone will go to Katina and try and find something. If we get there first, we can intercept them, and then "Seek and destroy" the object in question,"

"It's the coldest night of the year. If we go out now, we'll be waiting for a miracle to survive."

"Right, Umbra. And we need preparation. As he is now, Hal doesn't stand a chance. He needs training."

"The longer we put this off," Bissu started, "The less we're going to get paid."

"Is that all you ever think about?" Cole shot at her.

She grinned "Not quite all."

Coo yawned, "Well, I don't know much about _training, _but I'm sure that Hal isn't qualified to use anything more powerful than a light blaster, right?"

"Um.. well, uh... No, but-"

"So what's he going to use?"

"Look, Coo, since when has qualification stopped us?"

"SHUT UP!" Hal snapped. "I don't care what you say, I have seen every sort of weapon in existence, and I know how to use them all. Heck, I even MADE some of them. If you're trying to tell me that I can't set my hands on anything like a DC-M17 or a.. a... magmaul then, tell me all you want, 'cos I won't listen."

There was a long, shameful silence in the room. Cole started to laugh. "See? That's what I like about you, kid."

"So... Is everyone okay with a magmaul?" Umbra grinned.

"Bissu, I need you to go down to the armoury and get Hal a weapon. Something heavy, but light. If you know what I mean."

Bissu just shook her head and stared blankly at Cole. "I'm not sure I do."

"Just... a weapon," Then he turned to Coo. "Coo, Hal needs hand-to-hand training. You're in charge of that. Umbra, you're our stealth...guy. Hal needs to be able to sneak... Sneakily..."

"What about you?"

Cole raised an eyebrow. "Tactics."

"What do breath mints have to do with this?"

He sighed "No, moron. Not "Tic-tacs", tactics!"

"Oh... Right..."


	17. XVI

It was almost morning by the time they got to Cape Claw. Lorna showed them to the bar where Ross hung out.

It was small, round and the walls were covered in posters for the Indigo-Go's.

"Hal's band?" Blitz asked.

Lorna nodded "But they kicked him out about a week ago."

Blitz pulled up a stool and looked at the shelves behind the bartop. They were covered with perfectly cut crystal glasses, pictures, old guns; the sort of stuff you expect to see above someone's fireplace. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the counter. Suddenly, a shuffling was heard from a back room Al light flicked on and moments later a rather tired-looking chicken came through. His yellowed feathers were disorganised and his eyes were rimmed with black.

"I'm sorry," He yawned "We're closed at the moment."

"No, no... I'm sorry. It's just that I've been travelling for days, and I really hoped I could relax."

The chicken yawned again "Well, come back in about..." His eyes almost rolled back in his skull as if he was looking for something. "Two? Maybe three hours. I haven't slept well for a while."

Blitz grinned "I can relate."

Back outside, on the beach, the others had lain down in the sand and were talking.

They stopped when Blitz came. "Three hours."

"What?"

"Three hours." He said again. "Three hours 'till I get the information I need." He wandered past the row of figures, kicked off his boots and lay down next to Sakura.

"Well," Nick sat up "I'm no mathematician, but I'd say that means we have three hours to kill." His stomach growled "And I'm so freakin' hungry."

Lorna sat up and met his eyes. "Do you fish?" She grinned (if birds can, of course).

"To be honest, I try not to." He laughed. "I have no reason to, and frankly, I suck."

"It's not your fault." Sarah, who was lying between them, sat as well, "There is absolutely nothing in the Cornerian sea. Not with all the pollution and chemical dumping."

Lorna ignored this. "You can't be _that_ bad. I mean, if there really is nothing to catch..."

"Hey guys!" Came a voice from behind them. Blitz grinned. He stood up and turned around.

"Ross! Long time no see!"

"I thought you were dead," The albatross replied.

"I am,"

"Oh... So I _was _hallucinating..?"

"No, it's kinda hard to explain,"

"Then don't bother. Sakura! How long have you been here?"

She stood as well and went to greet him. "I'd say about..."

"Two hours?" Lorna said. "Give or take,"

"Not long, then,"

"You seem... relaxed, Ross. And that's a bad thing, for you," Blitz said.

"Why shouldn't I be relaxed?"

"Umm... Well... Your son's been kidnapped. Doesn't that bother you?"

"He can look after himself. The way I see it is: If they didn't need him alive, then they would have killed him in the temple,"

Blitz nodded "Makes sense. Very... vague sense, but sense nonetheless,"

"Besides, you _know _that he's alive, don't you?"

"Sort of..."

"Anyway... What brings you lot to Sauria?"

"Two reasons, really," Sakura said.

"Firstly, our ship's broken down, and I can't figure out what the hell is wrong with it,"

"Me neither," Cut in Nick.

"And next, we need your... expertise in translation,"

"Well, I ain't never said "No" to a dead guy yet,"


End file.
